It had to be you
by Multmastr
Summary: Summary: AU- Alternate Universe. New York’s hottest and most available bachelorette, Brooke Davis isn’t planning on settling anytime. Brooke’s rapid sweep through the men of New York becomes excessive when the news of her best friend Haley James is soon t
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, Mark Schwann is the man.**

**Summary: AU- Alternate Universe.** New York's hottest and most available bachelorette, Brooke Davis isn't planning on settling anytime. Brooke's rapid sweep through the men of New York becomes excessive when the news of her best friend Haley James is soon to marry hot shot NBA star Nathan Scott. Through past mistakes and troubles, Brooke makes a deal to herself never to fall in love, but it is soon tested when she meets Lucas Scott, Nathan's brother. At first, the two can hardly could stand each other, but on one faithful night brings the two sworn enemies together. They began to fall for each other, but will Brooke let love in or resort back to her old ways.

**Author Notes:** I believe that if Brooke never met Lucas she would have always been a man-eater in the show.

** Chapter One: Who died?**

According to Brooke Davis, there are rules to avoid heartache. She believed what the heart wants isn't always what's best.

"Brooke!" Haley demanded as she opened the front door to her apartment.

Brooke raised her right arm, barely showing her tiny hand through the cascade of white roses surrounding her. "Right here!"

"_What is all this?"_ Haley questioned loudly.

"Looks, like roses to me." Brooke bluntly said.

"Yes, I know there roses Brooke, but why is my living room filled with them."

"**_BTW,_** it's our living room." Brooke gestured between her and her roommate. Tapping her index finger to her chin, Brooke continued. "Wayne, Zane, or Shane, sent these over."

"Please Brooke, call me. --Dane." Haley read out loud as she picked up a card from one of the vases.

Brooke slammed her palm against the kitchen counter as a revelation came to her mind. "Dane, that's his name." She snapped her fingers and shook her head. "I was so close."

"Brooke, it smells like a funeral home in here." Haley was clearly annoyed.

"All were missing now is a dead body."

Haley darted at Brooke's eyes. "Oh I think I can manage that."

Brooke tapped Haley's head lightly with one of the stemmed roses. "Relax Hales. I'll take care of this."

Haley smacked the rose away from her head. "Brooke, I'm so tired of this."

Brooke shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Haley chuckled in anger. "First there was that wanna-be John Cusack dude playing **_"In your eyes"_** outside my window assuming it was your window in God knows what hour of the night."

_"Here we go again."_ Brooke thought. Brooke's love life or lack of was starting to become daily in their heated discussions ever since Haley announced she was engaged. "Haley…" Brooke tried to interject but was immediately cut off. "And last Saturday, I came home to find a naked man on my couch, which by the way wasn't that impressive." She said as she put together her thumb and index finger closely together.

"It was cold." Brooke clarified. Haley chuckled lightly. "Yeah, you keep telling yourself that."

"Then there was that stalker…"

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Hello… it's called a restraining order."

"Oh wow, that makes me feel so much better." Haley bit sarcastically clutching her fist to her chest.

Brooke starred at Haley confusingly. "What's your point Hales?"

"You don't get it do you? Brooke, these men aren't perishables. They are actual human beings with actual human feelings." Haley said as she placed her hands on her hips.

Brooke waved her hand at Haley and brushed past her desperately avoiding the lecture to come, but she wasn't getting away so easily. Haley followed down the hallway right behind her. "This isn't a game Brooke."

Brooke stopped dead in her tracks and turned to face Haley. "Wrong Hales! It is a game, and I don't plan on being at the losing end of the stick." Brooke voice oozed with bitterness.

Haley shook her head sadly at her roommate. "Don't look at me that way." Brooke refused to have anyone pity her. It was a sign of weakness, which she was not willing to accept.

"Brooke, I just don't want to see you hurt. I just want you to have the same happiness I have with Nathan, if you would only let yourself."

"I'm so happy that you found that with Nathan. I really am." Tears began to form in Brooke's eyes as she continued. "But this is my life Hales, what I chose to do with, is up to me."

Haley sighed in exasperation, as Brooke slammed her bedroom door.

Growing up, Brooke experienced her mother's grief and pain with her unfaithful husband. Woman came and gone through the Davis home like the wind without so much concern for the women who actually lived in the house. Brooke's mother eventually turned to alcohol to numb the pain, and took her anger out on her only daughter whenever she could. Haley remembered the frequent sleepovers and the endless tears shared between them. Haley knew this wasn't a new facet of Brooke's personality, it was just getting old. In the end, Brooke's mother died of a broken heart and on the day of her funeral Brooke swore to herself never to fall in love.

Haley was clouded reminiscing in the past not realizing a tall dark handsome man suddenly standing beside her in the hallway.

"Who died?" Nathan asked as he starred back at the roses in the living room.

Haley nudged his shoulders playfully. "There actually for Brooke."

"Who's the poor sap she bit her fangs into this time?"

"Be nice, she's your friend."

"Only by default." Nathan smirked at his fiancé. Haley raised her eyebrows questioningly. "You two are kind of like those buy one get one free offers. It's a set deal." Nathan joked.

She kissed him gently and pulled back slightly starring into his eyes. "I love you Nathan Scott."

Nathan slightly pulled back. "What was that for?"

"It's for making me the happiest woman alive." Haley smiled widely at Nathan. She was thankful for having love in her life, unlike her best friend.

"Well, I love you too Haley James soon to be Scott." Nathan said before he leaned in for another kiss.

Nathan and Haley's love story was quite the opposite from Brooke's parents. They were college sweethearts, and continued their love after that. With every love story, came struggles and heartache. Haley and Nathan were no strangers to this, but they always had each other to surpass all obstacles in their way. It was undeniably the inevitable when Nathan Scott, famous NBA star decided to marry Haley James, beloved high school English teacher.

"Yuck!" Brooke shook her head in disgust as she exited her bedroom walking towards the kitchen.

Nathan and Haley broke away from their embrace. "It's nice to see you too Brooke." Nathan retorted. Haley smacked Nathan's shoulder lightly, as they both giggled.

Suddenly Haley gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh wow, I almost forgot. Don't forget to pick up Lucas from the airport."

Nathan scrunched his face, in confusion. "Oh no, don't tell me you forgot." Haley said worriedly.

"I can't do it Hales. I have an important press conference, tomorrow morning." Nathan put his best puppy face look on. "You think you can pick up my brother at the airport."

"I can't. I caught these boys putting stink bombs in the girls' bathroom and gave them Saturday detention."

"Who gives Saturday detention? You're the meanest teacher." Nathan smirked at his fiancé.

"I'm not!" Haley puckered her lips together. "Before I realized what I had said, it was too late for me to take it back." Nathan pulled Haley into a hug. "It's okay, we'll figure something out."

Brooke rolled her eyes at the display in front of her. "Ugh, seriously don't you have a room Hales." The feisty brunette sauntered up to the couple with a bowl of cereal in hand. It was like someone was giving them a sign. That's when they both looked at each other and smiled. "Hey Brooke… whatcha' doin' tomorrow?" Nathan inquired.

Brooke took a spoonful of cereal into her mouth before responding. "Not hanging out in the hallway, like some people." Haley and Nathan rolled their eyes simultaneously. Brooke popped her right hip out and eyed Nathan suspiciously. "Why?"

"Well, I was hoping you can do me a favor." Nathan said shyly.

"Spit it out, hot shot." Brooke said taking another spoonful of cereal in her mouth.

"I need you to pick up my brother at the airport tomorrow at nine."

"In the morning?! You do know tomorrow is a Saturday." Brooke screeched.

"Yes, in the morning. Come on Brookie, it's not like you have anything to do tomorrow." Nathan stated crossing his arms against his chest.

Brooke scoffed at his last sentence. "Ok, calling me Brookie isn't helping your situation. Besides, I have plenty to do tomorrow. I'm Brooke Davis, owner of Clothes over Bros. May I remind you, I have a multimillion dollar company to run."

"How many times have you been to your company this week?" Nathan pushed, trying to make a point.

"Enough." Brooke sharply stated. "I must have missed the memo. I didn't realize it was lecture Brooke Day." Brooke tried to slither pass the couple to avoid any further tongue lashing.

Haley quickly excused herself from Nathan and grabbed Brooke's wrists forcing them down the hall out of earshot from Nathan. "Please Brooke, I'm asking you as my maid of honor. Do this for me?" Haley pleaded. Brooke shook her head. "I'm sorry Hales."

Haley sighed. "Please Brooke, it would mean so much to me, if you could do me this one favor." Brooke was surprisingly selfless when it came to Haley. Haley knew with enough begging it was just a matter of time before Brooke gave in. "Fine…" Haley embraced Brooke tightly. "Thanks, Brooke. You're a lifesaver."

"So how does Nathan's brother look like anyways?" Brooke asked curiously as they pulled apart.

"He doesn't look a thing like Nathan, almost the complete opposite."

"So he's cute then." Brooke quirked her eyebrows up.

Haley placed her hands on her hips. **"Brooke, don't even think about it."**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing Mark Schwann is the man.**

**Big ups to **toddntan and AmbroCoo. Comments are always appreciated. :)

**_A/N: Italics - Flashback_**

* * *

_Brooke tipped toed her way up to her bedroom avoiding any confrontation from her parents. Not that her parents actually cared that she was home. They were too wrapped up in themselves to realize that they still had a daughter. Sadly, the fact was that she didn't want to bump into her unfaithful father who'd usual ignored her anyways or her belligerent mother who'd berate her because she was a reminder of her cheating husband. Brooke hoped that one day things would change, but it never did._

_Brooke froze in her tracks, as her heart began to race. A loud crash of glass sounded inside the big house. "What was that?" Brooke whispered._

_Suddenly, Brooke heard muffled voices coming from her parents' bedroom. This occasion was different from their usual tirades, because this time she heard another woman's voice. Brooke remained still, as her parents' bedroom door flung open. This was the first time Brooke witnessed one of her father's mistresses. She couldn't have been more than five years older than Brooke._

_"Get out of my house!" Brooke's mother screamed at the half naked woman._

_The younger woman scrambled to grab her things off the floor, and hurriedly made her way down the stairs passing Brooke. Brooke watched her father's mistress run out the door, before returning her eyes at her parents. "Brooke, go to your room this instant!" Her father demanded. Brooke was in shock, when she discovered blood dripping down her father's arm. "Dad, are you okay?" Brooke asked as she starred at the blood._

_"Don't you defend your father!" Brooke's mother snapped. "He's not the victim here."_

_"But mom he's bleeding." Brooke pleaded._

_"He doesn't care about you Brooke. Your father would have shoved you in front of that twit as a shield to protect one of little whores from ever getting hurt. Isn't that right Richard?"_

_"Shut up Victoria! The only reason I ever gave a damn about you is because of Brooke." Richard shouted._

_Victoria turned towards Brooke. "I wished you were never born. If it wasn't for you..."_

_"Victoria that is enough!" Richard yelled._

_Brooke's eyes filled with tears, but she learned how to keep them in. She always excused her mother's harsh words. Brooke told herself, it was the alcohol talking._

_"I'm okay Brooke. Please just go to your bedroom." Brooke's father assured her._

_"You need to go to the hospital. Let me take you." Brooke begged, as she stepped closer to her father._

_"Go ahead take his side. I always knew you loved you're father more than you loved me." Her mother said bitterly._

_"Mom, how can you say that? I love you as much as I love Dad, but he's hurt."_

_"I'm hurt too." Brooke's mom sobbed before walking off and closing her bedroom door._

_Brooke shook her head sadly. "Come on Dad. Let's get you to a hospital." Brooke's dad nodded, and followed right behind her out of the house. There was no use in arguing. It was either bleed to death or be treated. Brooke's father chose the latter._

_**End of Flashback….**_

* * *

**Let love in.** Surely this was a simple statement, yet such a difficult concept to grasp. As far as Brooke was concerned this was simply not an option. She needed to protect her heart from all possible intruders. This foremost meant the opposite sex. The only person Brooke truly ever trusted with all her heart and soul was her dear friend Haley James, and now she was getting married to the enemy. It was exactly three weeks until Haley's big day, and Brooke wasn't sure if she was genuinely happy for her. Of course, Brooke loved Haley, she was the only person she did love, but there was a slight tinge of jealousy deep within her core that she was unable to shake. At first Brooke thought it was because Nathan was stealing her only confidant, and ally in this sad wicked world, but after much thought and booze Brooke realized it was the simple fact Haley found something she swore off years ago; **Haley found true love.**

Deep down inside, Brooke knew that all the fame and riches could never fulfill that undeniable void her soul felt every single day. It was depressing and lonely, but Brooke figured the alternative was much worse.

It was clearly the next day, as the light shun through the cracks of the dangling blinds. This was a minor problem, easily solved with a giant pillow over her head. In turn was easily deterred by the loud voice that was coming outside her bedroom door. "Brooke Davis, I hope your awake! Brooke!" The sharp pounding on the door was becoming one with her hang over. Brooke began to pile all her pillows one on top of each other forming a mountain over her head, hoping her roommates' screeching voice would disappear. Unfortunately, there were not enough pillows in the world to stop Haley from making her presence known as she burst through the door. "Brooke!"

Haley began unraveling the pillows covering her roommates' head, while Brooke tried to cling onto them for dear life. "Brooke it's eight, and Lucas's flight lands in an hour. Please get up!"

Brooke moaned and clutched her forehead. "Are you hung over?" Haley's voice seeped with anger.

Brooke lifted her head slightly from her bed and placed her hand over eyes to shield the rays of sunlight creeping through her blinds. "Kind of, sort of…" Brooke says restlessly.

"I need to be at school in the next thirty minutes. Brooke, I don't have time for your shenanigans."

"Who says shenanigans anymore? You're so old." Brooke snorted playfully.

"Well, I'm so thrilled you fine this so entertaining, but if you do not get your boozy butt up from that bed in the next three seconds, I will have to resort to you know what." Haley threatened.

"You wouldn't!" Brooke sat up quickly from her bed.

"Try me." Haley quipped. "One… Two…" And at the sound of two, Brooke sprang up from the bed and stumbled her way to the bathroom. "I need another drink." Brooke mumbled before she closed her bathroom door. It was not wise to test Haley on her threats, because without question they were never empty. The last time Brooke tested Haley's threat, Brooke found herself lying in a puddle of water, and an irretrievably damaged bed.

* * *

By the time Brooke arrived at the airport it was half past ten. Already an hour and half late, Brooke still continued to move in turtle speed. It wouldn't be Brooke if she wasn't fashionably late. Finally, reaching the terminal, she held a cardboard sign to her chest which read _**"LUKASS".**_ Brooke smiled to herself; at least she thought it was funny.

Brooke stood looking around. She didn't know how the mystery man looked like, only that he was the exact opposite of Nathan. "Way to narrow it down Hales." Brooke mumbled silently. She began to curse under her breathe at Haley and Nathan. This was not how Brooke wanted to spend her Saturday morning.

"Brooke?" At the mention of her name, Brooke quickly turned around.

The man hovering Brooke was undoubtedly gorgeous, with his baby blues, tanned skin, and perfectly toned body, Brooke couldn't help herself. "You definitely don't look like Nathan." She unconsciously mouthed out.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" A mischievous smile graced his face.

Brooke raised her eyebrows at the man. "Are you Lucas?"

The man held his hand out at Brooke. "I'm Lucas, not Luk-**ass**." He eyed the flimsy cardboard in front of her.

Brooke still slightly dazed from his exterior finally caught on to what he meant as she looked at the sign and looked back into his eyes. The mere inconvenience of waking up eight o'clock in the morning to pick him up made him an ass. "Hmmm… looks like a typo." Brooke said as she turned away and chucked the cardboard to the ground.

"If you say so princess…" Lucas said directly following behind the brunette.

Brooke scoffed. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, I guess." Lucas shrugged his shoulders. "Nathan did tell me you're some sort of fashion designer." Lucas threw in a few jabs of his own.

"So?" Brooke questioned.

"Nothing." Lucas responded emotionless. Brooke cringed. All desirable thoughts of him went out the window along with his cocky arrogant attitude.

Brooke narrowed her eyes forward, continuing to walk towards the exit. Part of her purposely tried to lose the blonde, through the overwhelming mass of people that filled the airport. Brooke's small frame made it easy for her to weave in and out of crowds, unlike her companion who held two bulky bags on each side of his body. She smiled and giggled at the curse words being thrown at Lucas as his bags accidently hit and shoved innocent civilians passing by.

They finally reached Brooke's car. Brooke smiled to herself as she watched Lucas trying to catch his breath. She popped her trunk open, and he tiredly heaved his bags in. Brooke couldn't help but wonder how a seemingly athletic man, could be unbelievably tired.

"If I didn't know any better, it seemed like you were trying to lose me back there." Lucas said as he hopped in the passenger seat. Brooke automatically rolled her eyes as she started her engine. "Maybe you just can't keep up."

Lucas smirked at the petite brunette beside him. "Are you always this welcoming?"

Brooke ignored Lucas's sarcastic question as she peeled out of the parking structure leaving smoke and the smell of burnt rubber behind. Brooke needed to drop Lucas off at Nathan's home and be through with him. The less time she spent with this man, the better. It was too bad time wasn't on her side.

"You know honking like that isn't going to make these cars move." Lucas stated the obvious. Brooke once again ignored him, and profusely continued to brutalize her steering wheel. Lucas chuckled lightly at her behavior, quickly catching Brooke's attention. "What' so funny?"

"Nothing." Lucas grinned.

"Are you five years old? Stop answering that way." Brooke whined.

Lucas raised his eyebrows at the brunette, suggesting she was the one acting like a five year old. Brooke frustratingly turned back around at the traffic ahead of her and began honking again, this time with more intensity. Finally noticing that her actions were not making the situation any different, Brooke sighed in defeat and gently rested the back of her head against the headrest. "This must be how hell feels like."

* * *


End file.
